Jack Pethybridge: Barden Ridge sex assault verdict
A jury has delivered its verdict on a young man charged with indecent assault after he had allegedly sexually touched a male house party guest as a woman lay asleep between them in bed.
St George Shire Standard
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A young man accused of sexually touching a male guest at a house party as a woman lay asleep between them has been found guilty by a jury of two counts of indecent assault.
A house party and late night drinks at Jack Pethybridge’s Barden Ridge home ended in disaster when he masturbated the man without his consent as a female guest slept between them in Pethybridge’s bed.
Pethybridge, the victim, the female friend and Pethybridge’s male partner at the time had undressed to their underwear and got into Pethybridge’s bed together on the night of the party in July 2017.
Police were told Pethybridge had leaned over the female and begun to masturbate the male victim while he was propped up on his arm, shortly after Pethybridge’s partner had left the bed.
Pethybridge was subsequently charged with two counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual intercourse without consent related to an additional allegation he had performed oral sex on the victim without consent.
At the Downing Centre District Court a jury found Pethybridge guilty of two counts of indecent assault and he will be sentenced by Judge Jennie Girdham on March 20.
Pethybridge’s barrister had said his client agreed the encounters happened as the woman lay asleep between them, but argued the sexual contact was consensual and continued until the alleged victim climaxed.
The Crown Prosecutor had argued the alleged victim did not realise he had suffered an assault until he was enlightened by conversations with a female neighbour and members of his family, prompting the belated complaint.
The trial took place over two weeks before the jury and Judge Girdham at Downing Centre District Court and included evidence from the victim, who attended court in person to face his attacker.